كنافة نابلسية

Name: كنافة نابلسية
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 65 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Palestinian
Ingredients: 500g kadaif (shredded phyllo pastry) or fresh kunafa dough; 250g Nabulsi cheese (or substitute low-salt mozzarella), soaked in water to remove salt; 250g ricotta cheese; 1 cup butter, melted; For syrup: 2 cups sugar, 1 cup water, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tbsp orange blossom water; 2 tbsp ground pistachios for garnish

كنافة نابلسية (kuh-NAH-feh nab-uhl-SEE-yeh)

Knafeh Nabulsi

⏱ Prep Time 45 min

📈 Difficulty Medium

👥 Servings

🔥 Calories 478 kcal

⭐ Rating 3.0 (2)

Vivid orange semolina crust over thick stretchy Nabulsi cheese, drenched in sweet syrup. Each bite is a glorious collision of crispy, cheesy, and sweet.

Nutrition & Info

Protein 12.0g

Carbs 58.0g

Fat 22.0g

Protein Carbs Fat

Dietary

vegetarian

Allergen Warnings

⚠ dairy ⚠ nuts

Equipment Needed

round baking tray oven saucepan

Presentation Guide

Vessel: round tray, sliced into portions

Garnishes: crushed pistachios, rose water syrup drizzle

Accompaniments: sugar syrup (ater)

Ingredients

500g kadaif (shredded phyllo pastry) or fresh kunafa dough
250g Nabulsi cheese (or substitute low-salt mozzarella), soaked in water to remove salt
250g ricotta cheese
1 cup butter, melted
For syrup: 2 cups sugar, 1 cup water, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tbsp orange blossom water
2 tbsp ground pistachios for garnish

Instructions

1
Make the sugar syrup by dissolving sugar in water over medium heat, adding lemon juice. Boil for eight minutes until slightly thickened, then add orange blossom water. Cool completely. The syrup must be cold when poured over the hot knafeh for proper absorption.
2
If using kadaif pastry, chop it finely with a knife or pulse briefly in a food processor. Pour the melted butter over the shredded pastry and toss thoroughly with your hands until every strand is coated. The butter makes the pastry golden and crispy during baking.
3
Prepare the cheese filling by slicing the soaked Nabulsi cheese thinly and combining with ricotta. If the Nabulsi is too salty, soak in water for several hours, changing the water frequently. The cheese should be stretchy when melted but not aggressively salty.
4
Press two-thirds of the buttered pastry firmly into a round 28cm baking pan, creating a compact, even base layer. The pastry should be pressed tightly and reach up the sides slightly. Distribute the cheese mixture evenly over the pastry base.
5
Cover the cheese with the remaining one-third of the buttered pastry, pressing down gently to create a sealed top layer. Bake at 180C for thirty-five to forty minutes until the top and bottom are deep golden brown and the cheese has fully melted inside.
6
Remove from the oven and immediately pour the cold syrup evenly over the hot knafeh. The sizzling sound confirms proper temperature contrast. Let sit for five minutes, then invert onto a serving platter. Garnish with ground pistachios and serve immediately while the cheese stretches.

💡

Did You Know?

Nablus holds a Guinness Record for the largest knafeh — over 1,700 kg.

Chef's Notes

Equipment Tips

round baking tray
oven
saucepan

Garnishing

crushed pistachios, rose water syrup drizzle

Accompaniments

sugar syrup (ater)

The Story Behind كنافة نابلسية

### The Story

Knafeh Nabulsi is the crown jewel of Palestinian sweets, originating in the city of Nablus in the northern West Bank. The dessert's documented history stretches to the Fatimid Caliphate (10th-12th century), when cheese-based pastries soaked in sugar syrup appeared in Arab culinary manuscripts. Nablus, renowned for its white brined cheese made from local sheep and goat milk, became the definitive home of knafeh. The dish layers shredded kataifi pastry (or fine semolina dough) over a base of melted Nabulsi cheese, baked until golden, then drenched in rose-scented sugar syrup and topped with crushed pistachios. The cheese must stretch when pulled -- this quality is the hallmark of an authentic knafeh.

### On the Calendar

Knafeh is served at celebrations, weddings, and religious holidays, particularly during Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr. In Nablus, it is also a daily morning treat, eaten for breakfast from specialty shops that have operated for generations.

### Then & Now

Traditional knafeh makers in Nablus guard their recipes closely, particularly the ratio of cheese to dough and the precise temperature for achieving the signature golden crust. The dessert has spread throughout the Arab world and beyond, but Nabulsi purists insist that only cheese from the region's sheep produces the authentic flavor. Modern variations use mozzarella or akkawi cheese, but the original Nabulsi version remains the benchmark.

### Legacy

Knafeh Nabulsi is Palestine's most famous dessert, a source of deep civic pride for Nablus and a sweet symbol of Palestinian culinary artistry recognized across the Middle East.

🕐 Traditionally enjoyed breakfast, celebrations, ramadan and eid 📜 Origins: Fatimid period (10th-12th century)

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